Royal treasures of Jodhpur on view at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Rudyard Kipling suggested that Mehrangarh must have been "the work of angels, fairies and giants" when he saw the Rathore dynasty's "citadel of the sun" 400 feet above the city of Jodhpur, India, in 1899. Begun in 1459 as a military stronghold, the fort and its palaces - ornately carved from red sandstone - house treasures owned by the Mehrangarh Museum Trust of Jodhpur that have never left the site. Until now.

On March 4, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston launches an international tour of its landmark exhibition "Peacock in the Desert: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India," featuring 250 lavish objects from the Trust and the royal family of Jodhpur. Representing about seven centuries' worth of artistic production that evolved during occupations by the Moghuls and the British, the objects include ceremonial tents and canopies, arms and armor, carved furnishings, textiles, golden paintings and jewels. And some of them are truly monumental: a Rolls Royce car, a Sentinel L-5 aircraft and a re-created elephant procession are among the must-sees.

On view through Aug. 19, "Peacock" will travel to Seattle and Toronto; $18-$23 (free for kids 12 and younger); mfah.org.